Device for packing bags in a box as well as a method therefor

ABSTRACT

A device for packaging bags in a box at least comprises a bag supplying device for supplying bags to a pickup position, as well as a transfer device provided with at least one nozzle for moving at least one bag from a pickup position to a depositing position. The device further comprises a flap which is movable from a closed position to an open position and vice versa, under which flap a box can be positioned. The flap is positioned opposite the pickup position in such a manner that a bag can be dragged from the pickup position to the depositing position on the flap in use, during which dragging at least a part of the bottom side of said bag is substantially constantly supported on the pickup position or on the flap.

The invention relates to a device for packaging bags in a box, which device at least comprises a bag supplying device for supplying bags to a pickup position, as well as a transfer device provided with at least one nozzle for moving at least one bag from a pickup position to a depositing position.

The invention also relates to a method for packing bags in a box, wherein bags are supplied to a pickup position by means of a bag supplying device, after which at least one bag is moved from said pickup position to a depositing position by means of a transfer device provided with at least one nozzle.

With such a device and method, which are known from European patent application EP-A1-1 553 021, bags are supplied to a pickup position situated below the transfer device by means of an endless conveyor belt. A number of bags lying side-by-side are picked up by means of vacuum nozzles of the transfer device, using a vacuum, which transfer device subsequently positions said bags on the bottom of a container standing ready beside the endless conveyor belt. Then a new row of bags is picked up and subsequently placed beside or on top of a row of bags already present in the container. Once the container is full, the contents of the container are moved into a box standing ready beside the container by means of a slide.

A drawback of the known device and method is the fact that the transfer device must lift the bags in their entirety order to position said bags on the bottom of the container. The vacuum nozzles must therefore be of relatively heavy-duty design in order to be able to hold the bags with sufficient force. Another drawback of the fact that the bags are lifted in their entirety by means of the vacuum nozzles is that the contents of the flexible bags may shift undesirably. In addition, there is a risk that the contact between the bag and the vacuum nozzle will be lost.

The object of the invention is to provide a device by means of which the bags can be placed in a box in a precise, controlled manner.

This object is accomplished with the device according to the invention in that the device further comprises a flap which is movable from a closed position to an open position and vice versa, under which flap a box can be positioned, said flap being positioned opposite the pickup position in such a manner that a bag can be dragged from the pickup position to the depositing position on the flap in use, during which dragging at least a part of the bottom side of the bag is substantially constantly supported on the pickup position or on the flap.

Since the bottom side of the bag is supported on the pickup position or the flap upon being dragged, the nozzle may be of lighter and smaller design than in the situation in which the bag needs to be lifted in its entirety by means of the nozzle. Moreover, if the contact between the nozzle and the bag should accidentally be prematurely broken, the bag will simply come to rest on the pickup position or the flap, after which it can be picked up again without the contents of the bag being damaged. A bag can be picked up by the nozzle by using a vacuum, for example. The nozzle may also be provided with a gripper, by means of which the bag can be gripped.

The bags that have been deposited on the flap are placed into the box standing ready therebelow in a simple manner by opening the flap. After a first layer of bags has been placed in a box, the flap is closed again and a next layer of bags is formed on the flap.

Another embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterised in that a front side of the bag located near the flap can be moved in a direction away from the pickup position by means of the nozzle, which front side can be positioned to overlap a rear side of a bag that is already present on the flap after the bag has been dragged to the depositing position.

In this way a number of bags can be placed on the flap in overlapping positions. Since the front side of the bag is lifted, the contents of the bag will slightly shift in the direction of the rear side, so that all the bags are positioned on the flap with their contents oriented in substantially the same manner. Since the relatively empty front side of a bag is positioned on a relatively full rear side, an optimum filling of a layer of bags, and consequently of the box, is achieved.

Yet another embodiment of the device is characterised in that the transfer device is provided with at least two nozzles, by means of which two bags can be moved simultaneously from the pickup position to the depositing position.

In this way a row of bags can be placed on the flap in a simple manner.

Yet another embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterised in that the bags can be moved simultaneously in at least partially overlapping positions.

In this way it is possible to have longitudinal sides of the bags overlap as well, thus achieving an even better filling of the box.

Yet another embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterised in that the bag supplying device is provided with a number of guides extending in a supplying direction, whilst at least one support is movable between said guides from an inoperative position substantially entirely below said guides to an operative position, in which said support forms the pickup position.

The movable support ensures that the bag will be precisely positioned in the pickup position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method by means of which bags can be placed in a box in a precise, controlled manner.

This object is accomplished with the method according to the invention in that the depositing position is located on a flap which is movable from a closed position to an open position and vice versa, under which flap a box is positioned, said flap being positioned opposite the pickup position in such a manner that at least a part of the bottom side of a bag is substantially constantly supported on the pickup position or on the flap while said bag is being dragged from the pickup position to the depositing position on the flap.

As a result of the bags being dragged from the pickup position to the depositing position, a layer of bags can be formed on the flap in a simple manner, which bags can subsequently be placed in a box standing ready below said flap by opening the flap. The nozzle by means of which the bag is dragged may be of comparatively simple design.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the device of FIG. 1 during a different stage of the placement of bags on a flap; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the device shown in FIG. 1.

Like parts are provided with the same numerals in the figures.

FIGS. 1-3 show a device 1 according to the invention, which comprises a bag supplying device 2, a transfer device 3, a flap 4 and a box supplying and discharging device 5.

The bag supplying device 2 comprises an endless conveyor belt 6, which is built up of a plurality of wire ropes 7 extending parallel to each other. The bag supplying device 2 further comprises two supports 8, which are each built up of a number of metal strips 9 arranged side-by-side. The metal strips 9 are positioned between the ropes 7. The supports 8 are each individually pivotable in the directions indicated by double arrow P1 from an inoperative position, in which the upper side of the support 8 is situated substantially entirely below the upper side of the ropes 7, to a position which is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in which the strips 9 extend through the ropes 7. In this position, the sides 10 of the strips 9 form a stop for a bag 11 being moved in the direction indicated by the arrow P2 by means of the endless conveyor belt 6.

The transfer device 3 comprises a slide 12, which can be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow P3 and in the opposite direction over a guide 13 by drive means (not shown). The slide 12 is provided with two vacuum nozzles 14.

The flap 4 comprises two guide plates 15 extending transversely to the endless conveyor belt 6 and two support plates 16 extending transversely to the guide plate 15 and the endless conveyor belt 6. The support plates 16 can be moved away from each other in the directions indicated by the arrows P4, P5 from the closed position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to an open position.

The box supplying and discharging device 5 comprises an endless conveyor belt 17 and two guides 18 extending parallel to the endless conveyor belt 17. A box 19 can be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow P6 to a position below the flap 4 by means of the box supplying and discharging device 5 for picking up bags 11, and after the box 19 has been filled with bags 11 said box 19 is discharged in the direction indicated by the arrow P6.

The operation of the device 1 according to the invention is as follows.

An empty box 19 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow P6 to a position below the flap 4 by the box supplying and discharging device 5. The support plates 16 of the flap 4 have been moved towards each other, forming a depositing position for bags 11 to be placed on the flap 4.

The supports 8 are in a downwardly tilted position prior to the filling of a box 19, with the upper side of the plates 9 being situated below the upper side of the ropes 7.

Bags 11 lying on the ropes 7 are transported in the direction indicated by the arrow P2 by means of the bag supplying device 2. Once a bag 11 is positioned against a stop-forming part of the guide plate 15, the support 8 is tilted in the direction indicated by the arrow P1 to an operative position, in which the bag 11 is supported by the support 8. The bag 11 is now in the pickup position. Then a second bag 11 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow P2 until the bag 11 abuts against the stop 10 of the support 8. Following that, the second support 8 is tilted in the direction indicated by the arrow P1, so that the second bag 11 is in the pickup position, being supported by the second support 8. In the operative position, the bags 11 include an angle with the horizontal. Then the vacuum nozzles 14 are moved to a position above a front side 20 (see FIG. 3) of the bags 11. The nozzles 14 are then moved downwards in the direction indicated by the arrow P7 until the nozzles 14 are in contact with the front sides 20 of the bags 11. Following that, a vacuum is applied between each vacuum nozzle 14 and the bag 11, after which the nozzles 14 are moved upwards in the direction indicated by the arrow P7. As a result, the front sides 20 of the bags 11 are lifted. At least a part of the bottom side 21 of the bag 11, for example the rear side thereof, remains in contact with the guide 8. The nozzles 14 are then moved in the direction indicated by the arrow P3 until the front ends 20 of the bags 11 abut against a stop plate 23 extending transversely to the guide plate 15 and the support plates 16. After the vacuum in the vacuum nozzles 14 has been released, the nozzles 14 are moved in the opposite direction of the arrow P3 for picking up new bags 11 that have been placed on the supports 8 in the meantime. The front sides 20 of said bags 11 are lifted in the same manner. The nozzles 14 are then moved in the direction indicated by the arrow P3 until the front sides 20 of the bags 11 can be placed on top of the rear sides 22 of bags 11 that are already present on the flap 4.

Once a layer of bags 11 has been formed on the flap 4, the support plates 16 are moved away from each other in the directions indicated by the arrows P4, P5, whereupon the layer of bags 11 drops in the direction indicated by the arrow P8 into the box 19 standing ready below the flap 4. The flap 4 is then closed again and a new layer of bags 11 is formed on the flap 4 in the manner described above.

If the width B of the support 8 is smaller than the width b of a bag 11, a longitudinal side 24 of a bag 11 will extend beyond and above a longitudinal side 24 of an adjacent bag 11 if the stop 10 is sufficiently high. As a result, the longitudinal sides 24 of bags 11 lying beside each other will overlap. This can also be realised in different ways.

As a result of the overlap of the front and rear sides and/or the longitudinal sides of the bags 11, an optimum filling of the box 19 is achieved. It is also possible not to use an overlap, however.

The supports 8 may also be provided with movable pins.

It is also possible to use comparatively narrow endless conveyor belts or rows of rotatable wheels instead of wire ropes.

Instead of using a vacuum nozzle, it is also possible to use a nozzle provided with a gripper, by means of which the front side of the bag can be gripped.

Furthermore it is possible to use a single nozzle or more than two nozzles. 

1. A device for packaging bags in a box, which device at least comprises a bag supplying device for supplying bags to a pickup position, as well as a transfer device provided with at least one nozzle for moving at least one bag from a pickup position to a depositing position, characterised in that the device further comprises a flap which is movable from a closed position to an open position and vice versa, under which flap a box can be positioned, said flap being positioned opposite the pickup position in such a manner that a bag can be dragged from the pickup position to the depositing position on the flap in use, during which dragging at least a part of the bottom side of said bag is substantially constantly supported on the pickup position or on the flap.
 2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that a front side of the gab located near the flap can be moved in a direction away from the pickup position by means of the nozzle, which front side can be positioned to overlap a rear side of a bag that is already present on the flap after the bag has been dragged to the depositing position.
 3. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the transfer device is provided with at least two nozzles, by means of which two bags can be moved simultaneously from the pickup position to the depositing position.
 4. A device according to claim 3, characterised in that the bags can be moved simultaneously in at least partially overlapping positions.
 5. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the bag supplying device is provided with a number of guides extending in a supplying direction, whilst at least one support is movable between said guides from an inoperative position substantially entirely below said guides to an operative position, in which said support forms the pickup position.
 6. A device according to claim 5, characterised in that one side of said support forms a stop in the operative position for a bag being moved in the conveying direction.
 7. A device according to claim 5, characterised in that said guides are wirelike guides.
 8. A method for packing bags in a box, wherein bags are supplied to a pickup position by means of a bag supplying device, after which at least one bag is moved from said pickup position to a depositing position by means of a transfer device provided with at least one nozzle, characterised in that the depositing position is located on a flap which is movable from a closed position to an open position and vice versa, under which flap a box is positioned, said flap being positioned opposite the pickup position in such a manner that at least a part of the bottom side of a bag is substantially constantly supported on the pickup position or on the flap while said bag is being dragged from the pickup position to the depositing position on the flap.
 9. A method according to claim 8, characterised in that a front side of the bag located near the flap is moved in a direction away from the pickup position, which front side is positioned to overlap a rear side of a bag that is already present on the flap after the bag has been dragged to the depositing position.
 10. A method according to claim 8, characterised in that at least two bags are simultaneously moved from the pickup position to the depositing position.
 11. A method according to claim 10, characterised in that the bags are moved simultaneously in at least partially overlapping positions. 